


A Fresh Start

by izukillme



Series: HyuuIzu Christmas Drabbles [12]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Engagement, Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, M/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:13:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22268467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/izukillme/pseuds/izukillme
Summary: Hyuuga offers Izuki a fresh start with regards to Christmas.
Relationships: Aida Riko & Izuki Shun, Hyuuga Junpei & Izuki Shun, Hyuuga Junpei/Izuki Shun
Series: HyuuIzu Christmas Drabbles [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1580473
Kudos: 4





	A Fresh Start

Izuki is usually a very lively guy. Bright and intelligent, quick-witted with a razor tongue that always has a pun ready for the situation at hand, patient, friendly and cool-headed. That’s what Hyuuga loves about him, even if the puns get annoying; Izuki always knows how to keep himself together, to keep himself happy, and thus he’s the perfect fit for a person like Hyuuga, who has mood swings more frequently and easily than a heavily pregnant woman.

So naturally Hyuuga hates it when he's having one of his _moods_ , where he'll stare into the fire for ages upon ages and won't speak. These have been going on as long as Izuki has known Hyuuga, all fifteen years of having been friends. It’s worse than when Izuki’s really angry - at least then he’ll _say_ something. His cold and acidic insults are better than this heavy and upset silence he sports when he’s in a mood. 

It makes Hyuuga even more furious when he realises at the age of fourteen that it happens like clockwork every Christmas. Not at Izuki, though; no, this anger is at himself. It’s because he’s known the reason for so very long, and it’s just now that he’s putting the pieces together.

Christmas is never a good time for Izuki. His younger twin brother died two months after they were born, on Christmas. His father left the already shattering family on Christmas, because of which his mother always gets depressed around this time. It’s simmering rage and broken bitterness that Izuki holds in when he stares at the fireplace mutely, rage because he hates that his strong mother breaks because of a man, and bitterness because somewhere deep inside, he misses the man too. 

Hyuuga knows all these things about his boyfriend because, contrary to popular opinion, he is _not_ a dumb jock, and because he _looks_ at Izuki and sees who he truly is underneath behind the mask of puns and cheerful calmness. He sees the vivacious boy who Izuki is, who’s been turned away by the world one too many times, yet refuses to let it get him down. He sees the dangerous man who Izuki’s set to become, a man who can wield power with a steady hand and not let it get to his head. And most of all he sees the tenacious spirit, the drive and hunger to _make it big_ that Izuki has. He sees it in the way Izuki carefully doctors his original Mathematics thesis before sending it in to all the Ivy League universities in America, in the way he relentlessly pursues basketball at the same time as keeping up his studies, in the way he works so hard for everything he has and is never satisfied, always wanting to do more and more and more in the best way possible. He’s the strongest person Hyuuga has ever known.

Which is why it breaks his heart to see Izuki stare into the fire like that, beautiful eyes so blank and dead without even a single spark of hope in them. Which is why it absolutely shatters him to see the man who should be holding his head high feeling so low, so crappy, blaming himself for everything that ever went wrong in the whole universe.

Which is why, he thinks in determination, he is going to stop that train of thought right there today.

They’ve never talked about it, not really. Hyuuga knows, and Izuki knows he knows. But they’ve never really put it out there, never had a big long discussion. 

That’s not what’s going to fix things. And maybe things _can’t_ be fixed. But fresh starts can always be taken, and Hyuuga Junpei is the prime example of that.

“Hey, Shun,” he calls softly, moving towards the couch of their shared apartment, where Izuki watches the flames lick at logs with dull eyes. He doesn’t bother to lift his head, asking in a tired voice, “Yeah, Junpei?”

“You okay?” Hyuuga asks tenderly, sitting down next to his boyfriend and pulling him close with one arm. Izuki doesn’t reply, just leans into his touch, allowing himself to be cuddled into Hyuuga’s chest. Hyuuga runs a soothing hand through his soft and straight hair, pressing kisses to the top of his head. 

When he doesn’t receive an answer to the question after a full minute, he laughs softly. “I’m going to take that as a no.”

Izuki hums noncommittally and buries his face in Hyuuga’s shoulder. A muffled, “I don’t want to talk about it.” comes from his throat.

“No,” Hyuuga agrees, removing Izuki from his shoulder and propping the tired, sad boy up with his arms. “You don’t have to. I just - I hate to see you like this, you know?”

Izuki nods, barely a movement of his chin. 

Hyuuga continues, “You’re so amazing. You’re this wonderful, handsome, clever, funny, sweet, caring, patient, friendly person, the only guy on Earth who can deal with my whining.” 

At that, Izuki has to laugh because it’s true - a Hyuuga Junpei Tantrum™ is something even his own mother can’t handle. She’ll call Izuki over to take care of her whiny son and Izuki will cheer him up in a matter of minutes. 

“And you know,” he goes on, “I see it in you. I know so many others don’t, but I see who you are. I see this amazing, lively guy who’s been beaten down so much by the world around him and yet he refuses to be pushed into the dirt. I see this powerful man you’re going to become, a person who both scares and inspires people. I see this hardworking, talented boy and I wish-” here his voice cracks, “-I wish to _God_ you didn’t have to go through all this pain. I wish there was some way to make you stop blaming yourself for everything… I wish there was a way to fix things, but let’s be real - there’s only so much we can do about the past. I wish I appreciated you more out loud, I wish I could drive it into your head how amazing you are and how much I love you… and those are the things that I _can_ do, so… I’m going to start doing them.

I love you, Izuki Shun. I love you so much, I think that my heart will burst with it. And I know that your past is stupidly fractured, and though I can’t reverse any of the damage, maybe I can give you a fresh start. I can’t thank you for the courage you gave me to take that new start with basketball, but I can give _you_ a fresh start with Christmas. I can offer you a chance to change things, so Christmas for you doesn’t always have to be about the bad stuff… I _want_ to offer you that chance.”

Izuki’s hands fly to his mouth, and his eyes are shining with shocked but happy tears. “I… Junpei…”

Hyuuga swallows dryly, then gets off the sofa and kneels on the floor. He pulls the black box out of his pocket, opening it and offering it to Izuki, who gasps quietly.

“Shun, will you marry me? Will you take this chance to mark Christmas with a fresh start, with a new life for both of us? Will you take this chance to make Christmas about _us_?” Hyuuga asks softly.

“I…” Izuki seems to be at a loss for words. “I don’t even… I… Junpei, you…”

“Yeah,” Hyuuga says, smiling. “I want to make you happy, Shun. That’s all I’ll ever want. I just need an answer from you.”

He stops breathing - literally - when Izuki suddenly crushes him in a hug and presses their lips together in a passionate kiss that says more than words ever will. Into the kiss, he whispers the redundant phrase, “Yes, yes, yes, a million times, yes.”

They make love right there on the floor, Izuki kicking the coffee table aside with strength Hyuuga didn’t know he had. Both riding high on joy, warmth and love, it’s the best and most pleasurable experience Hyuuga has ever had.

He thanks his stars as Izuki drives into him repeatedly that his first time is so splendid, with someone he’s so blessed to have, someone whom he loves with the entire intensity of his heart and soul.

He tells Izuki so later, when they’re both lying on their backs, panting and exhausted but glowing with happiness. Izuki just chuckles and presses kisses down Hyuuga’s collarbone, murmuring into each one, “Thank you for being you.”

Hyuuga doesn’t know what that’s supposed to mean - who else can he be but him? - but he hugs Izuki tight anyway because his boyfriend says some stupid things sometimes and he still loves him to bits.

Even when Izuki accidentally throws a blanket on his face. (Maybe that wasn't so much of an accident, in retrospect.)

* * *

The wedding is more than perfect. 

It’s held on Christmas Day, and for once there isn’t a trace of that emptiness in Izuki’s eyes. They’re filled with joy and excitement, just the way Hyuuga’s always wanted to see them on this day. His mother, too, looks nothing but ecstatic, as do his sisters. 

Riko had been the one to organise everything, of course; she insisted on being Izuki’s best man (the two, despite hating each other’s guts, are the closest of friends) while Kiyoshi was Hyuuga’s. They do it traditional and simple, just an exchange of rings and vows, Kuroko officiating because both Izuki and Hyuuga refuse to have a priest or any mention of God during the ceremony. In Hyuuga’s words, “We’re getting married because it’s our will, not the will of a person we don’t even know exists.” The ‘taking each other’s last names’ gig is vetoed too because “Izuki Junpei” or “Hyuuga Shun” sounds too fucking ridiculous for words. 

Still, it’s the best wedding Hyuuga has ever attended. (Probably because it’s his own, but whatever.) And as he cuddles up with his boyfriend - no, fiance - no, _husband_ later that night and sees the gleam of unadulterated joy in Izuki’s eyes, all he can think is, _I’m so glad we could take this fresh start together._

**Author's Note:**

> I... can't believe we actually did this. Like, this is a thing! This happened! I wrote 12 fics in one day!  
> Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. To writing and loving HyuuIzu even more this 2020!  
> (Please comment/kudo/both if you enjoyed! :3)


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